1997:085 - CHERRYWOOD/LEHAUNSTOWN/ LOUGHLINSTOWN, Dublin

Archaeological monitoring was carried out in advance of housing development across an extensive area in Cherrywood, Laughanstown and Loughlinstown, Co. Dublin. The monitoring forms part of the mitigation arising out of an EIS prepared by Margaret Gowen, which included archaeological test excavation by Linzi Simpson (Excavations 1995, 27, 94E201). All of the fields within the development site have been extensively ploughed in the past fifteen years, with the exception of the flood-plain of the Shanganagh River and its steep-sided valley, which remained in pasture.

The site is located in an area of some considerable archaeological interest. Tully Church and graveyard, with its associated crosses and enclosure, lie to the west of the development site, while a group of prehistoric burial cairns, including one with a well-preserved wedge tomb, lie to the south-west, again outside the area in question. The site of the 'Kilruddery Inn', a hostelry founded in the 17th century (SMR 26:28), is located on the south-eastern boundary. It was excavated by Thaddeus Breen (Excavations 1996, 37, 96E265). A very large military camp was set up in the late 18th century and is thought to have been situated to the west of the development area on Drum and Gun Hill, north of Tully Church. It is very well recorded in documentary sources, but test excavation indicated that the site has been ploughed out.

The area monitored in the first phase consisted of the main field that lies along the site's eastern boundary, parallel to the N11 motorway, and a smaller field of sloping ground, to the south. No features of significance were revealed. The depth (average) of the ploughsoil was c. 0.3m. This contained occasional flakes of charcoal, flakes of reddened clay and coal fragments, all of modern derivation.

The second phase of monitoring was carried out on the land immediately adjacent to and south-east of the Phase I area, on the east side of the Shanganagh River. The depth of topsoil removed varied in relation to the topography of the site, but averaged between 0.3m and 0.4m. The topsoil contained occasional flecks of charcoal, flakes of reddened clay and stone fragments, similar to those noted during Phase I, all of which were identified as being small (spread over an area 0.2m in diameter), discrete and of modern origin. Stockpiling of the topsoil reduced the areas available for monitoring.

The third phase of monitoring was associated with the construction of the access road for the housing. The road ran from the N11 into the lands between Tully Church and the Shanganagh River. The archaeological monitoring uncovered two previously unrecorded archaeological sites. In addition, a trench excavated to prevent unauthorised access to the site at a gate adjacent to Tully Church revealed the 'enclosure ditch' in section.

Site 1 (18th-century rubbish deposit/road surface)
A large linear deposit/dump of post-medieval rubbish was located during the re-diverting of the Shanganagh River. The surface of the deposits was cleaned down and a section was cut back into the new riverbank to investigate the site. The dump appeared to be rubbish from the 'Kilruddery Inn' and dated from the 18th century. It consisted of a linear spread of dumped material made up of layers of dark reddish-brown friable sandy clay, measuring 4m in width and 0.7m deep. The feature contained a quantity of post-medieval pottery, glass, butchered animal bone and clay pipe fragments. The deposits were interpreted as the foundation for a road or path.

Site 2 (prehistoric pits/settlement activity)
Two truncated prehistoric pits were identified on the summit of a ridge located to the north of Tully Church. The siting of the pits within areas of rock outcrop is likely to have protected the features from removal during ploughing. The pits were c. 0.75m in diameter and 0.2m deep, roughly circular in plan, and had bowl-shaped profiles. They were filled with silty gravelly sands banded with charcoal. No fossil cereal remains were identified, but the floats did provide charcoal for dating. The presence of two saddle querns, flint scrapers and hammerstones suggests that the pits were settlement-related and likely to be associated with early agriculture.

Site 3 (Early Christian 'ditch', Tully Church)
An 'enclosure ditch' was located on the north-western side of Tully Church (SMR 28:23). A trench was fortuitously excavated immediately inside a gate adjacent to the graveyard to prevent unauthorised access to the development site. It uncovered the inner edge of a cut feature, but neither its base nor outer edge were revealed. The ditch was located 7.6m from the present graveyard wall and revealed a feature at least 1.8m wide and 0.6m deep.

Rath House, Ferndale Road, Rathmichael, Co. Dublin